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U.S. Army Promotes Personal Alcohol Breath Testers

Eight U.S. Army bases have begun distributing personal alcohol breath testers to soldiers and civilians as a way to reduce drunken driving. The small devices can be kept a vehicle or on a keychain.

The alcohol and drug control officer at Fort Benning, Yvonne Wilbanks, has worked for 25 years trying to reduce drunken driving. She says that distributing the devices has been "one of the better things we've done."

Soldiers report that the devices are an excellent way to avoid confrontation and convince someone that they've consumed too much alcohol to drive safely. "It's impartial. It lets you say, ‘Hey, let's let this be our guide'" said one soldier.

Another soldier said that she likes to be able to hand them out at gatherings where people are drinking. "I think they could be a deciding factor in convincing people not to get behind the wheel," she said, adding "I keep them at home in case I have people over for a cookout."